Feedback: Keeping teens in prison for life won't bring back victims

Jan. 5, 2014

Kudos to Brian Dickerson’s Dec. 27 column on Bill Schuette’s crusade against teen lifers. I am the father of a son who was murdered at age 21 by a 14-year-old juvenile. Bill Schuette does not speak for my family. My family strongly opposed a life sentence for the juvenile because it served no useful purpose to anyone. We felt that our son’s killer was as much a victim of his environmental conditions as was our son, and we believe in the human capacity for transformation.

Our family does not believe in “an eye-for-an-eye.” Such a doctrine is against every decent moral and humane doctrine. It is inhumane to expect or desire our son’s killer to give his life as retribution for our son’s death. The juvenile who killed our son was, and should have been, given a second chance. Mr. Schuette should not be exploiting victim pain for political gain.

Ronald D. Simpson

Flint

Life sentences for juveniles is too cruel

Brian Dickerson’s column on Attorney General Bill Schuette was a late Christmas present to anyone who enjoys good, critical analysis of our public officials.

Since the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that it is cruel and unusual punishment to sentence juveniles to mandatory life without parole, Schuette has been vocal in his opposition to the rule. He argues that the rule should not apply to the more than 350 teens who were sentenced to life in Michigan in the past. It is only cruel and unusual punishment, he argues, starting now. If you were sentenced as a juvenile in 2007, that’s tough luck.

Further, he seems to have appointed himself the spokesperson of victims, despite the fact that most of the victims that testified at the legislative hearings in August supported giving juveniles a chance to redeem themselves. He may consider listening to them before speaking for them.

Peter J. Martel

Detroit

A family torn apart by juvenile life sentence

I was reading the article about the juvenile lifers in hope that my brother might be eligible to be release from prison. He has been in prison for 44 years this coming May.

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Barbara Williams

Detroit

Shame on Snyder for protecting dark money

Gov. Rick Snyder signed a bill allowing the names of donors to political causes to remain hidden from public view. I wonder what the signers of the Declaration of Independence, who pledged their lives, fortune and sacred honor, would think of that.

Matt Hart

Trenton

Snyder put interests of the few above the state

I am so disappointed that Gov. Rick Snyder signed the secret donor legislation. He seems to be a thoughtful man, but he clearly put the interests of a select few influential constituents over the best interests of the people of Michigan. I am dreading the ads that will come during the next election. I am expecting them to be filled with hateful messages and lies, and no one will be held accountable for the deception. This legislation, along with several other goofball laws enacted during the past three years that benefit only a select few, makes me concerned for the future of the state of Michigan. It is becoming a state that is "of the special interests, by the special interests, for the special interests." The people of Michigan deserve better.

Connie Geverink

West Bloomfield

High-speed rail could save empty train station

One option for the Michigan Central Station is something this country can’t seem get done: Build a decent high-speed rail system. We are the only industrial country in the world that doesn’t have one. If the airlines had high-speed rail competition, you would see the return of service and, maybe some of the amenities we used to get. Considering the time spent at the airport, you could be at many destinations by high-speed rail without all the fuss — and have comfortable seating and some scenery to look at. The Mercury used to go 80 mph on the way to Cleveland. Today, there is no train going there. The Twilight Limited used to get to Chicago in 4 hours and 45 minutes. Not today. There was daily overnight service to New York City. No more. High-speed rail could make all those times shorter.

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Robert J. Shoens

Northville

Just give Affordable Care Act a chance

It takes time to get new systems up and running right.

In the early 1980s, General Motors embarked upon an enormous investment in automation. In 1985, it opened its showcase: the new Hamtramck factory in Detroit. It had 50 automatic guided vehicles to ferry parts around the plant, and 260 robots to weld and paint. It turned out not to be such a good idea.

The production lines ground to a halt for hours while technicians tried to debug software. When they did work, the robots often began dismembering each other, smashing cars, spraying paint everywhere, or even fitting the wrong equipment.

The Affordable Care Act had a rocky start, but give it time and it will be as dependable and efficient as other government programs, like Medicare and Social Security.

Ron Lowe

Nevada City, Calif.

Detroit police truly are the city's finest

It was with great interest that I read Rochelle Riley’s Dec. 29 article, “Detroit’s dedicated police are a story worth celebrating.” I agree wholeheartedly. I fondly refer to the men and women of the DPD as “Detroit’s finest.” These men and women, who work a thankless job and who’ve taken pay cut after pay cut and are now faced with taking another financial hit on their pensions and health care. But they don their uniform and badge and honor the oath they took “to protect and to serve.” . Yes, “Detroit’s dedicated police are a story worth celebrating,” and I thank them for doing their job to keep us safe.